At 2:30pm on Saturday, about 25 people descended upon Earl’s Grocery to get their whiskey learn on with Bob Peters. Once the lunch crowd realized just what was happening, our class size grew by 10, giving us a total of 35.

Bob gave us all a sample of Wild Turkey 81, Wild Turkey Rye and Russell’s Reserve. Then for a special treat, Bob showed the interested bunch how to make a Mint Julep using the Russell’s Reserve (the crowd favorite, obviously).

We had a very interactive group, with Bob at the helm, questions were being asked, flavor profiles were discussed and lots of whiskey was tasted.

Earl’s Mixology Lab happens once a month, I’ll try to keep y’all posted on the happenings so you can come sit at the cool kids table with me.

Last Thursday night I got the opportunity to drop some whisk(e)y knowledge on some folks at the RAIN Young Affiliates event at Dandelion Market.

We discussed the differences in American, Irish and Scotch whisk(e)y and featured some great products like Wild Turkey, Tullamore Dew and Monkey Shoulder while we sipped on an incredible cocktail made by the lovely ladies at Dandelion.

The RAIN Young Affiliates program is a great way to get involved in local RAIN activities such as the AIDS Walk in Charlotte. Click HERE for more information on how to join…word has it, we’ll be doing some fun events like this one in the near future!!

Here’s a couple of photos from the event, hope to see you at the next one.

On Saturday September 27th, 15 people gathered around a bar, curious, thirsty and ready to learn.

Each attendee learned how to make three different classic cocktails and I don’t use the word classic lightly, each of these cocktails were made popular before 1950. Check out the recipes and the photos below. Huge thanks to Good Eats & Meets, Soul Gastrolounge and Andy Maurer for one hell of a Saturday afternoon.

I’m a little late on this post but I figured it’s better late than never. That being said, did you know that it’s National Bourbon Heritage Month here in the U.S.? No? Well let me tell you about it. In 2007 Congress, yes, those guys in Washington declared September to be the month we celebrate bourbon. It’s also my birth month, personally I think that those two reasons alone make September the greatest month of the year. I’ve decided to celebrate by featuring a few bourbons that I think y’all might like.

1. Wild Turkey: You’ll almost always find 101 on most back bars in the south. Made in Kentucky, Wild Turkey recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of Master Distiller, Jimmy Russell. In honor of this great accomplishment, Wild Turkey released Diamond, a special blend of 13-16 year old barrels. Its a rare blend with limited availability and can be pricey, but it’s definitely worth the cash if you can find a bottle.

2. Lexington Bourbon Whiskey: Another Kentucky bourbon inspired by it’s home state’s love for horse racing, this 86 proof spirit boasts deep aromas of aged oak with a hint of vanilla. My opinion; its a good sippin’ bourbon. It’s smooth and the hints of vanilla are prominent, great for someone who hasn’t yet gotten their whiskey legs. You can find Lexington at Heist Brewery in NoDa and if you go on Whiskey Wednesday you can have a glass for $5.

3. Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey: One of the few bourbons made outside of Kentucky, Hudson hails from New York, the first family of whiskies distilled there since Prohibition. I am a huge fan of Hudson, it’s rich and sweet and really sets a standard for craft whiskeys. Bonus, the bottle is cute as hell, not that the packaging trumps the quality of spirit, because it doesn’t.

There you have it, there’s still 2 weeks left in September, plenty of time to celebrate and sample all three. Cheers.